Security agencies in the US have identified the shooter behind the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks. The FBI has confirmed Crooks as the “subject involved” in the attempted assassination that occurred during a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Despite this identification, the FBI has not yet disclosed the motive behind the crime. FBI Special Agent Kevin Rojek mentioned in a press briefing that while they are confident in identifying the shooter, the motive remains unclear, and investigators are working tirelessly to determine it.
The assassination attempt left one person dead and two others critically injured. The FBI, as the lead federal law enforcement agency in the investigation, continues to treat the campaign venue at Butler as an active crime scene. Colonel Chris Paris, commissioner of Pennsylvania state police, stated that they are fully supporting the FBI’s efforts. The agency has also requested public assistance, urging anyone who was present at the scene and may have witnessed anything to report it to the FBI.
The incident has sent shockwaves through the country’s security establishment, as Trump is President Joe Biden’s primary opponent in the upcoming US election. Multiple rounds were fired at the rally, with one bullet piercing the upper part of Trump’s right ear. Visuals showed Secret Service operatives quickly escorting the former President to safety, with blood visible on his face.
President Joe Biden condemned the violence, emphasizing that such acts have no place in America. He expressed the need for unity and condemned the political violence unequivocally. Biden’s strong reaction underscores the seriousness with which the incident is being treated at the highest levels of government.
In the immediate aftermath of the shooting, Trump was seen pumping his fist and mouthing the words “Fight! Fight! Fight!” despite his injury. The Trump campaign later assured supporters that he was “doing well” and had not suffered any major injury. The FBI identified Thomas Matthew Crooks as the shooter early Sunday, revealing that he was a registered Republican from Bethel Park, Pennsylvania. The Secret Service reported that the suspect was shot dead by agents during the incident.
The attack, occurring less than four months before the November 5 election, has raised significant concerns about security failures by the Secret Service, which is responsible for the protection of former presidents. This is the first shooting of a US president or major party candidate since the 1981 attempted assassination of President Ronald Reagan.
The shooting incident has drawn widespread condemnation from political leaders across the spectrum. Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson and Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer both condemned the violence, with Schumer expressing relief that Trump was safe. The Biden campaign announced a pause in their television ads and other outbound communications in response to the incident.
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Witnesses at the rally described hearing multiple shots and seeing the crowd duck for cover. Ron Moose, a Trump supporter, recounted how the crowd and Trump himself quickly reacted to the gunfire, with Secret Service agents immediately moving to protect the former President. The shots appeared to come from outside the area secured by the Secret Service, adding to the complexity of the investigation.
Hours after the attack, the Oversight Committee in the Republican-led US House of Representatives summoned US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle to testify at a hearing scheduled for July 22. The committee emphasized the need for answers regarding the assassination attempt on President Trump.
The incident has intensified existing worries about political violence during the presidential campaign and after the election. The polarized political environment in the US has seen sporadic eruptions of violence in recent years, with this incident adding to the growing list of concerns.
International leaders have also reacted to the shooting. UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and French President Emmanuel Macron were among those who condemned the violence and expressed support for Trump. President Xi Jinping of China sent his regards to Trump, reflecting the global attention the incident has attracted.
The attack has undoubtedly cast a shadow over the upcoming Republican National Convention, where Trump is set to receive his party’s formal nomination. The security lapses and the ensuing investigation will likely dominate political discourse in the weeks to come, as the country grapples with the implications of this unprecedented act of violence in the midst of a highly contentious election season.
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